Keep moving to combat pain, says expert

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Some thoughts from a New Zealand anaesthetist and pain medicine specialist, Dr David Jones:

A key task was educating doctors, both those in practice and those in training.

Pain medicine was given ''one afternoon'' in fifth-year clinical medicine and, for some, a little bit of on-the-job work with anaesthetists.

Most persistent pain management was left to GPs, who did not have sufficient training.

Drugs were inappropriately or poorly prescribed, particularly opioids and benzodiazepines, which were both addictive.

What medical school failed to teach was the body's sophisticated pain-suppression system, which could be stimulated by exercise.

''Move, move and move'' was one of Dr Jones' favourite prescriptions.

Dr Jones has a lot of time for therapies such as yoga, mind focus, improving sleep quality and not using pain to limit activity levels.

He is interested in the psychology of pain. It was ''rubbish'' to assume a focus on psychological elements meant denying the reality of pain, he said.

''I think pain's part of life.

''Resting, or falling into the take-it-easy trap, does not help natural pain-suppression systems work optimally, yet it is commonly dished out as advice.''

http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/24140 ... n-medicine